Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/Americn Libraries. See https://archive.org/details/sketchesofpersia00malc SKETCHES OF PERSIA. by SIR JOHN MALCOLM, Author of 'History of Persia,' 'History of India,' etc., etc. New Edition. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1861. London: Printed by W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street, and Charing Cross. TO JOHN FLEMING, ESQ., M.D., F.R.S., &C., LATE PRESIDENT OF THE MEDICAL BOARD OF CALCUTTA, BY HIS MOST SINCERE AND ATTACHED FRIEND, THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. Page INTRODUCTION xi CHAPTER I. Voyage from Bombay to the Persian Gulf 1 CHAPTER II. Muscat 6 CHAPTER III. The Persian Gulf and Abusheher 15 CHAPTER IV. Camp at Abusheher--Horses--Abdûlla Aga--Anecdote of an Arab 22 CHAPTER V. Hunting and hawking--Entertainment of the Shaikh--Tollemache--Mirage--Nadir Shâh and Turkish ambassador 28 CHAPTER VI. Elchee's lectures--Mehmandar's journal--Arab nurse--Blue-Beard--Persian ceremony--King's picture 37 CHAPTER VII. Mountaineers--Valley of Kazeroon--Virtue of Nitric Acid--Rizâ Kooli Khan's loss of eyes--Extraordinary birds--Beautiful valley of Desht-e-Arjun--Mahomet Rizâ Khan Byat--Irish patriotism--Persian squire 45 CHAPTER VIII. Principal characters of the mission--Mahomed Hoosein Khan--Jaffier Ali Khan--Meerzâ Aga Meer--Mahomed Hoosein--Hajee Hoosein--Candidates for the Elchee's favour 53 CHAPTER IX. Importance of forms--Description of those used at visits in Persia--Difficulties on this subject--Happy termination of a battle of ceremonies between the first mission and the petty court of Shiraz--Persian society--Fables and Apologues 62 CHAPTER X. Fable of the two cats--Preamble to Persian treaty--Apologues from Sâdee--Letter from Nizâm-ool-Moolk to Mahomed Shâh--Death of Yezdijird 77 CHAPTER XI. Shiraz--Shaikh-ool-Islûm, or Chief Judge--Story of Ald-ool-Kadir--Entertainments--Derveesh Seffer--Story of Abdûlla of Khorassan--Persian poet 87 CHAPTER XII. Persian servants--Departure from Shiraz--Persepolis--Tale of the labours of Roostem--Anecdote of a sportsman 105 CHAPTER XIII. Travellers and Antiquaries--Wild Ass--Hawking--Mâder-e-Sûlimân--Akleed--Mirrors--Mehdee Khan--Isfahan--Persian citizens and peasantry--Shâh Abbas the Great--Hâroon-oor-Rasheed--Nethenz 123